If we are to rethink The Great Commission, it seems reasonable to rethink it both as it applies to missions and to the local church. In this study we will consider missions.
David Benzel, a missionary to far-east Russia, has e-mailed these comments:
Individual Responsibilities and The Great Commission
A missions plan that looks at The Great Commission as an individual responsibility is presented here in hypothetical events that occur in the countries of Large-Sparse and Small-Dense.
Let's assume that there are two unevangelized nations, one we will call "Large-Sparse" and the other we will call "Small-Dense."
Large-Sparse is a country that is nearly square in shape, measuring more than 1000 miles on each side. Much of the population is clustered in small, widely spaced apart villages. The remainder is on farms that are widely separated. Newspapers are available to only a small percentage of the people. Mail service is infrequent, but most have radios.
Small-Dense is also a country that is nearly square in shape, but it measures only 100 miles on each side. Most of the people live high above the asphalt jungle, barricaded behind the doors of their apartments. Once a day they dash outside and rush across town to places of employment, isolating themselves emotionally from those huddled against them on the subways. Then, barricaded again in their apartments, they are isolated except for their television sets, their radios, their newspapers, and their Internet-connected computers.
The Great Commission, International (a fictitious missionary organization), has decided to develop and follow a methodology of missions that is in accordance with both The Great Commission and other Scriptures as they set about to start work in Large-Sparse and Small-Dense.
The leaders of TGC, International are fully aware that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17), and they realize that they have no way of identifying the lives in which the Holy Spirit may be working (John 6:44). Further, they realize that no matter how long or intensively they may work with those who live near them, and no matter how much those people may come to like and admire them, these particular individuals may never be saved (1 Cor. 7:16). Therefore, they decide to start with an extensive ministry, rather than an intensive ministry, throwing the net far and wide.
Looking to God to choose those who will respond, they placed short and provocative advertisements on radio, on the Internet, and in newspapers in both Large-Sparse and Small-Dense, offering a Bible study course that will give Bible students the truth that can lead them to saving faith.
In Small-Dense, a series of basic Bible study sessions was sent sequentially by snail mail or the Internet to those who responded and continued responding. And, in Large-Sparse, since mail service was erratic, a basic Bible study course was also aired over the radio. However, to provide material that could be reused by believers in their own lives and in the lives of others, the same lessons were also sent by mail.
As time went on, hundreds of individuals in both Large-Sparse and Small-Dense came to saving faith from hearing the basic Bible lessons on radio, and from studying the printed lessons mailed to them. In Large-Sparse most of the believers were separated from each other for hundreds of miles and had no fellowship with each other, or even knowledge of each other. And, in Small-Dense the new believers were isolated from each other by their barricaded high-rise apartments.
However, as new believers contacted TGC, International they were started, simultaneously, on two separate and distinct paths of study. One set of lessons was designed to ground the new believers in the faith, giving them a solid doctrinal foundation, and making them "cult-proof." The other series of lessons taught them principles of Christian living, and principles for overcoming personal and interpersonal problems--problems that could stagnate their Christian growth.
In Large-Sparse, as First Believer continued to learn biblical truth through the radio teachings of TGC, International and the lessons were mailed to him, he become convinced that it is his duty to become a reproductive disciple. He understood that it wasn't necessarily his duty to go to any different geographical location, but to seek to be a reproductive disciple as he went through life.
First Believer felt very inadequate. After all, he was a new believer, and he knew very little Scripture. But he knew enough to tell someone else how to be saved. And that was enough.
Therefore, as he went through his daily activities, he sought those in whom God would be giving an interest in spiritual things. Then he used the basic Bible study lessons he had received from TGC, International to teach the biblical truth that could lead them to saving faith.
Subsequently, by the grace of God, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the faithful efforts of First Believer, God brought Second Believer to saving faith.
First Believer was new in the faith, and he didn't know much theology. However, he had known enough to present the Gospel to unbelievers, and he had obediently acted on what little he knew. He had led Second Believer to saving faith through the printed materials furnished by TGC, International.
From his study of The Great Commission in the lessons furnished by TGC, International, First Believer knew that evangelism was not enough. The Great Commission doesn't say, "Evangelize them and leave them to sink or swim." Instead, The Great Commission says, "Make disciples."
Someone had to nurture Second Believer to the point of reproductive maturity. First Believer felt very inadequate, but there was no one else to nurture Second Believer. He could not leave Second Believer without someone to walk beside him and nurture him. After all, he had the printed lessons furnished by TGC, International. He had been able to go through these lessons by himself. Even though he felt inadequate as a teacher, he could go through these same lessons with Second Believer. And he did.
Has the hypothetical situation of First Believer and Second Believer seemed strange? Unbiblical? At least, you will agree that present missions philosophies and methodologies are failing to produce results that are commensurate with world population growth.
Rather, perhaps the question should be: do we dare neglect making repeated reevaluations of our philosophies and methodologies of ministries in the light of Scriptures?
Reproductive discipleship is commanded in The Great Commission. Can the work of missions really be biblical unless God's plan for reproductive discipleship is obeyed?
If we profess to believe that the Scriptures are the authoritative Word of God, shouldn't God's plan for world evangelism--reproductive discipleship--be obeyed?
Copyright 1997 by Wendell E. Miller
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Coming Soon: Rethinking The Great Commission: Part VII
Return to Rethinking The Great Commission: Part V
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